Only Half Way Out by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 18, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 11.

Only Half Way Out.

By Editor

THE Baptist Flag says: "The Protestant branches of the church of Rome, to be consistent, must go back to their mother Rome, or come out to the Baptists. Which will they do?" We will not presume to answer the question; but we would like to ask the Flag why it concludes that those who do not become Baptists must, to be consistent, go back to the Romish Church. The answer, which is implied, will be that infant "baptism" and sprinkling rest solely on the authority of the church of Rome, and not at all on the Bible, which demands immersion. Very good; we agree. But here is another thing. There is not a line or a syllable in the Bible to uphold the keeping of Sunday. The Bible declares, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." The sole authority for Sunday observance is the Roman

Catholic Church, which claims the right to appoint holy days and to change laws and ordinances. The keeping of Sunday is a legacy which the Protestant churches have received from Rome; and the keeping of Sunday is a virtual acknowledgement that the church of Rome has power to make laws for Christians. Homage to Rome is shown no less by Sunday observance than it is by sprinkling and so-called infant baptism. And so after the Protestant churches have become Baptist, they must take another step and become Sabbath-keepers, if they would cut loose from Rome. How is it? Will the Baptists show their consistency by returning to Rome, or by coming out from her entirely?